Coombe Viaduct, Saltash and the Royal Albert Bridge

[Kris]

Further progress on the rebuild of the Royal Albert Bridge. All of the bridge sections have been cleaned up and fitted together for a test fit between the pillars, they fit, phew. It's not currently self supporting as they are not glued together but it fits. Given this I have started the process of fitting the track chairs, it's one way of inducing sleep I suppose. 

 

 

 

 

[Kris]

Very nearly 400 track chairs later I have completed putting them onto the Devon side of the bridge. The Cornish side will have to wait until I get more chairs unfortunately, must get round to ordering some. I have also started to add the track. Not a fast process but a rather satisfying one.

 

The white gunk from the bottom of the glue pot does rather remind me of track that has been painted to reduce expansion. 

 

 

[Andrew D]

Just followed this from the beginning, Kris. As in, almost 8 years ago! What can I say other than WOW! Those bridges are amazing structures. Following with interest.

[Kris]

Rail has now been added to the bridge, together with the sleepered section to take the track just beyond the first land pier. I have added the check rail to the landward side, this does appear to act as a bit of a brake. I do not have enough track chairs to do every chair needed for the check rail so I have done about 1 sleeper in 4. At some point I will fill in the missing ones with fake chairs. 

 

Printing now is the first landward side bridge deck and part of the first landward pier.

 

[Kris]

I've spent the last few days doing some more printing (and trying not to annoy the family too much with the noise of it!). This has given me the first landward pier and bridge span on the Devon side. I did forget the the printer would only print up to 205mm high and tried to print the pier in one (it's 218mm). Frustrated is the best description of how I felt. Still I am happy with how this is now starting to look, particularly the first photo.

 

 

 

 

The model ships give a good indication of size. The far one is a 1-144 Fletcher class destroyer, the nearer one is a 1-144 Flower class corvette. 

 

Next Steps - I need to start printing out the hangers for the main Devon side next. I also need a dry and warm(ish) day to paint the bridge deck.

[drduncan]

Is that a Fletcher class destroyer lurking right at the back beyond what looks like it might be a flower class corvette?

Duncan

[Kris]

46 minutes ago, drduncan said:

Is that a Fletcher class destroyer lurking right at the back beyond what looks like it might be a flower class corvette?

Duncan

You are correct on both counts. Both have been started for some time, both have ground to a halt. One day I will restart both. They do give a nice sense of scale under the bridge however. 

[Ian Morgan]

Have you considered how you will clean the rails once the bridge is complete? On the Basingstoke club layout, Pete, who built the bridge for our GMRC layout, has arranged it so the track is not fixed in the bridge, but can be extracted in one piece from the end of the bridge for cleaning. He borrowed this idea from the T scale Forth Bridge layout which had a similar track cleaning challenge.

 

In addition, because the bridge is longer than the baseboards, it has to be completely removed and put into its own box for transport.

 

[Kris]

9 hours ago, Ian Morgan said:

Have you considered how you will clean the rails once the bridge is complete? On the Basingstoke club layout, Pete, who built the bridge for our GMRC layout, has arranged it so the track is not fixed in the bridge, but can be extracted in one piece from the end of the bridge for cleaning. He borrowed this idea from the T scale Forth Bridge layout which had a similar track cleaning challenge.

 

In addition, because the bridge is longer than the baseboards, it has to be completely removed and put into its own box for transport.

 

Cleaning the track is going to be a challenge. I was going to go for a track cleaning wagon. The idea of taking the track out is clever, but not something that I am going to do now as it would mean a complete redesign. 

 

I have built a large and long baseboard. It's going to be awkward to move but it save joins. The baseboard is long enough to cover the entire river width but the not the approach spans on land with the exception of the 1st one in Cornwall by the old ferry slipway. 

[Kris]

Next up for the print shop... the legs for the 1st landside Cornish pier, complete with the buildings that go under them, some toilets (that appear to have been demolished soon after the ferry stopped), a set a garages (possible selling tyres) and another building that may have been related to the garages. 

 

 

 

It's a 25 hour print so some time will pass until it comes off the printer, particularly as there is another print going at the moment. 

[Kris]

There is a moment of frustration when you check in on a printer expecting to see a completed item only to find that the filament has broken after the filament out sensor and that the printed continued to print fresh air, hmmm.  Still it gave me a chance to check and see the the dimension were correct. Now that the printer has had some time sat on the naughty step to consider its actions it is having a second chance. 

 

 

[Kris]

2nd time lucky. The bridge deck is an old one from the previous version of the bridge. It is warped, though the photos make it look a little worst. The replacement one that will print this evening has the top of the bridge pier so will be the correct height. 

 

 

 

[wiggoforgold]

Looks good. I was looking at the one in the window of Saltash Heritage yesterday and thinking you will have something to show them!

Alex.

[bcnPete]

This is looking fab Kris  

[Alex Duckworth]

Just rediscovered this thread - really impressed, excellent work.

 

Alex.

[Kris]

Another small step today. The bridge deck between the main Cornwall pier and the 1st Cornish landward pier landed. This over the buildings below looks rather good to my eyes.

Next small step - I have also painted the main deck between the centre pier and the main Devon side pier. This is only in undercoat at the moment, but it has taken on a different look now it is grey.

Final small step - The first of the bridge deck sections for the Cornish arch has been printed and the second section is currently on the printer. The other 2 are lined up, so possibly by the end of tomorrow it might be a big step with the both bridge decks having been printed. 

 

 

 

[Kris]

Both bridge decks are now printed. I have even started to add the chairs to the 2nd one (250 odd down, 150 to go). 

 

I managed to balance the unglued deck to on the bridge late this afternoon to get a feel for how it will look (the unglued bit explains how bowed the deck is). I'm rather excited to get the track on and see a loco run across now. It should look rather good. 

 

 

[Kris]

The sag has been taken out of the Cornwall bridge deck and the rails have been added to this. There is some fettling to be done and some painting before the sections can be glued together but I can see progress happening. 

 

 

One thing that I still need to work out is just how grey I need to make the bridge for the mid 1950's. It seems like it is much darker than todays colour, the question is just how much darker. 

[Waraqah]

2 hours ago, Kris said:

The sag has been taken out of the Cornwall bridge deck and the rails have been added to this. There is some fettling to be done and some painting before the sections can be glued together but I can see progress happening. 

 

 

One thing that I still need to work out is just how grey I need to make the bridge for the mid 1950's. It seems like it is much darker than todays colour, the question is just how much darker. 

Hi Kris,

 

 I've been off RMWeb for a while, and this is the first time I've seen your RAB. That's looking really impressive.

 

Good work mate.

[TrevorP1]

2 hours ago, Kris said:

 

One thing that I still need to work out is just how grey I need to make the bridge for the mid 1950's. It seems like it is much darker than todays colour, the question is just how much darker. 

 

 

It's wonderful seeing this project grow. When we drive to Cornwall we always use the A38 so as to see Brunel's Bridge.

 

You've probably see this, albeit 1962, film but just in case. It might give an idea as to the colour.

 

Crossing The Tamar

[lezz01]

Simply stunning Kris.

Regards Lez.

[Kris]

Having spent much of a wet a dismal day researching colour, it would appear that I do need something similar to the colour that can be seen today. I have tried a grey that I have in stock but I feel that it is too blue and possibly not light enough. The colour on the main bridge span is Halfords undercoat grey (a single light coat) the colour on the approach span is Humbrol No87 matt steel grey. Suggestions, comments and ideas welcome. 

 

[GWRPhil]

21 hours ago, Kris said:

The sag has been taken out of the Cornwall bridge deck and the rails have been added to this. There is some fettling to be done and some painting before the sections can be glued together but I can see progress happening. 

 

 

One thing that I still need to work out is just how grey I need to make the bridge for the mid 1950's. It seems like it is much darker than todays colour, the question is just how much darker. 

Great progress. It’s something I’ve always wanted to see modelled.  
 

like the Lego Star Wars scene it’s sitting on too

Edited January 31, 2021 by GWRPhil
Spelling

[St Enodoc]

16 hours ago, Kris said:

Having spent much of a wet a dismal day researching colour, it would appear that I do need something similar to the colour that can be seen today. I have tried a grey that I have in stock but I feel that it is too blue and possibly not light enough. The colour on the main bridge span is Halfords undercoat grey (a single light coat) the colour on the approach span is Humbrol No87 matt steel grey. Suggestions, comments and ideas welcome. 

 

Kris, based on a) how it looks on my monitor and b) convenience of use, I'd use the Halford's spray.

[bcnPete]

Yes you could always work more colour and variety in using powders on top...

Edited January 31, 2021 by bcnPete
*My Typo - more